


Stop All The Clocks

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Character Death, Death, I'm Sorry, M/M, Sad, Sad with a Sad Ending, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 19:17:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16582475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,silence the pianos and with muffled drum,bring out the coffin, let the mourners come."Keith is making a speech at Lance's funeral, and has some important words to say.





	Stop All The Clocks

**Author's Note:**

> this is based on the scene from four weddings and a funeral. that scene is so sad omggg :((((((((
> 
> comments and kudos appreciated :)

The church was packed to the brim of mourners, sitting and chatting quietly amongst each other, in a sea of black. There was not a single colour to be seen anywhere. It felt quite fitting, Keith couldn’t help but think. His world had been pretty dark lately. Everyday life was too bright, too loud, too sunny, too … much. Today Keith felt like the world was finally acknowledging the loss of Lance McClain and was mourning right along side him.

“Hey man” Keith felt an arm on his shoulder and turned to see Hunk standing next to him. “We’re just about ready to start ok?” Keith felt himself nodding back and he followed Hunk to their seat in the first row.

The rest of the group were all there, clad in black. Lance’s family were sitting in the first row on the other side. Keith first noticed Pidge sitting at the top of the pew. She had clearly made an effort to look presentable for the funeral, but Keith noticed the dark circles under eyes and how pale she looked.  Allura was next to her, and Keith could see Shiro, Coran and Romelle sitting further down the row. They all looked up as he and Hunk approached, nodding and murmuring hi and hey to him. Keith sat down, rubbing his hands together out of nerves. He didn’t think he was ready, this felt all too final and-

Suddenly the church went quiet, and Keith saw the priest standing in front of the altar. When had he gotten there? The priest slowly leaned into the microphone and spoke softly.

“The service will begin in a few minutes, but first one of Lance’s closest friends has a few words to say, Keith?”

Keith got up out of his seat, feeling all everyone’s eyes on him, and made his way to the altar. His nerves were starting to get at him, he could feel his legs shaking but other then that he just felt numb. Keith remembered how he felt when it had first happened, he had drowned in mind- numbing sadness and pain. Then he felt red hot anger at the world, at the others, at himself. Then… nothing. Keith now was just a shell.

“Umm, hey everyone. My name’s Keith and I was a paladin of Voltron alongside Lance. When I was asked to write a few words, I didn’t know where to begin.”

Keith drew in a breath before continuing.

“I called up a few people to get an idea of what people saw in Lance and wanted him to be remembered by. Some said he was loud and jokey, and if Lance were here today he would probably yell dumb roast back at ‘all you haters’ ”

The crowd chuckled softly and Keith let a small smile show on his face.

“Yeah that was Lance. But so many other people said he was kind, caring, loving. The best person they knew, the life of the party, a hero of the world. Some said he was so selfless, so brave, so willing to risk his own safety to save others. And on behalf of Lance I say thank you. I know he would appreciate it. As for me you’re probably wondering how I remember him, how I feel. Unfortunately there I run out of words.”

Keith mouth started quivering and he took a short pause to compose himself. He looked away from the crowd and towards the closed casket, covered in lilies, Lance’s favourite flower.

“Prehaps you will forgive me if I turn to the words of another, one who happened write one of  Lance’s favourite poems. W. H Auden.”

Keith’s body seemed to have lost control at this point. He was shaking all over and he could feel himself beginning to overspill. He shut his eyes tightly, picturing Lance’s face in his mind, and felt silent tears stream down his cheeks.

_“Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,_  
_silence the pianos and with muffled drum, bring out the coffin, let the mourners come._

_Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead, scribbling on the sky the message 'He is Dead'._  
_Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.”_  


Keith glanced at the others. Pidge and Allura were holding onto each other, tears streaming down their cheeks. They looked like they were so distraught that they could barely sit themselves up. Pidge kept wiping her face, over and over again but everytime her hand moved away, a new path of tears had already taken the previous ones place. Allura simply let her tears fall, down her face, down her chin, her lap, everywhere. It seemed as if she had enough tears to flood the world, and drown everyone in it.

Shiro was bent over and had his head in his hands, slowly shaking his head. Shiro had been there with Lance when it had happened. He was the one who held his hands in front of the bloody hole the bomb had left in Lance’s chest that day. He was the one who stayed with Lance and waited with him for someone to come and help. Shiro still felt guilty for not having supplies on him.

Coran was white. He looked like he was about to throw up and was holding on Romelle’s arm tightly. She looked ill herself. Lance had once told Keith that he felt like Coran was a father to him. He wondered if Coran felt the same way. If he did he never had said it.

And Hunk. Oh god poor Hunk. He was Lance's longest friend and had been there with him through thick and thin. He had been dealing with Lance's death just as badly as Keith was. He looked unhealthy, like he had lost weight, and right now simply looked broken. For someone who was always crying, he wasn't shedding a single tear. He probably had none left to cry.

_“He was my North, my South, my East and West, my working week and my Sunday rest,_  
_my noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;"_

_"I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.”_  


Keith’s voice broke and in the corner of his eyes he could see everyone’s heads dart up and stare at him in shock. He was finally saying the words no one knew but at the same time everyone knew deep down. It was no secret he had loved Lance. He had loved everything about him. His blue eyes that sparkled anytime he talked about his family back on Earth. The way his hair could curl slightly whenever it got slightly damp. This laugh, which was the most beautiful world in the world. What Keith would give to hear it one more time. The freckles that were scattered so gently across his face like shooting star residue falling from the sky. His smile. His mouth filling with blood as he held Keith’s hand,his whispers I’m sorry, I’m sorry ,I don’t wanna go Keith , I love you. The feel of his lifeless body as Keith held him and screamed his name over and over. 

Keith felt himself break and couldn't stop himself sobbing uncontrollably. Hunk quickly got out of his seat but Keith shook his head. He straightened up and leaned into the microphone and pushed back all of his pain into finishing his speech to Lance.

  
_“The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,_  
_our away the ocean and sweep up the wood,_  


_“for nothing now can ever come to any good.”_

******

 

"Ok Keith, what's your favourite poem?"

"Lance, that is most random question ever, who the hell has a favourite poem?"

"That's the point of twenty questions Keith! Random questions! And as a matter of fact I do, you uneducated mullet man."

"Really? What is it?"

"Funeral Blues. W.H. Auden."

"Never heard of it."

"Ugh man it's beautiful. If I die I want it to be read at my funeral"

"If?"

"Ya I'm immortal Keith if you didn't know, it means I'll never die!"

"I know what it means!"

"I dunno if you do Mullet, you are unedcuated"

"Stop going on about my hair!"

"Never!"

**Author's Note:**

> ok just clearing it up, no one else heard lance's confession cos keith was the first one to reach them and shiro went to the red lion to get supplies. while shiro was in there, lance died and keith was the only one with him. i probably should have added that to the story but im too lazy ok bye


End file.
